The transforming effect of handheld computers on nursing practice.

Handheld computers have the power to transform nursing care. The roots of this power are the shift to decentralization of communication, electronic health records, and nurses' greater need for information at the point of care. This article discusses the effects of handheld resources, calculators, databases, electronic health records, and communication devices on nursing practice. The US government has articulated the necessity of implementing the use of handheld computers in healthcare. Nurse administrators need to encourage and promote the diffusion of this technology, which can reduce costs and improve care.